Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-23
lIGKTN|NG'S FLASHES.
Suicide OF Lieutenant DanneNhOwer-
The Richards.CrOcker Suit
European News Notes.
LIEUT.. DANNENHOWER SUICIDES.
Mental Trouble Causes Him to Take His
Life.

ANNAPOLIS, Nd, April 2O.-Lieutenant
John w. Dannenhower, the Arctic explorer,
shot and killed himself at the Naval Acad-
emy. He had mental trouble after he came
back from the Arctic region.
He was found lying on his rug in front OF
his fireplace with tag tied to his button
hole Send to my brother at Washington" !"
Although he had mental troubles since he
returned from the Arctic regions, what i'm.
uediately led to his suicide is thought to
have been the recent grounding OF the Con-
ISOLATION on it's way to Norfolk, which he
had charge of, and for which it is supposed
be had fear OF being court martialed.
Furthermore, he was very intimate with
young Robert Gatewood, who recently
committed suicide on the Carolina, and
whom he saw in death. 1t is supposed
Gatewood's death suggested a mode to him.
His wife, formerly Miss Sloan, of New
York, is away with her parents. Lieut..
Dannenhower leaves two children. He was
about 35 years old and an intelligent and
polished officer.
AN EvENTFUL CAREER.
ANNAPOLIS, April 2O.-Li ut. Damien
hower's career was eventful. He was born
o
naval services in 1856. He was attached
to the Vandalia during her cruise in the
Mediterranean in 1876, when General
Grant and family were on board and Wis
tied the Holy land. 1t was before this
cruise that the Lieutenant, though his
conduct, began to show signs of unsouDd
mind, AID his malady soon assumed
form so violent that in 1875, after he had
bsen found wandering in the North Caro-
L. esso IT, nj
pedent to secure proper treatment for him
hy combining him for about two months in
the
ST. ELIZABETH INSANE ASYLUM
He was among the first officers who vol
uttered to go upon the Jeannette Arctic
expedition OnJuly s, 1879, the Jeanette
sailed from San Francisco on her North
Polar expedition. The last communication
from the vessel was dated Cape Sertzeka-
men, Siberia, September ?, '79. although
she was afterwards seen off Wrangle Land.
The crushing OF the Jeanette in an ice pack,
the separation in the gale OF the three
boats containing the officers and crew, the
starvat on of DeLong and his boats crew,
the loss of Lieut. nant Chipp's boat and
the suferings and final rescue OF the Mel
vile party are matters of history. In the
final separation of the boats DeLong
placed DaDnenllOWeT AMclIVllIc b COu.
mand for the reason, as the Lieutenant
said in his report. that he was partially dis
ahled by the condition OF his eyes. Naval
officers, however, maintain that it was to
DANNENHowER's WISE sEAMANsHIP
and skiul handling of the boat notwith-
standing his partial blindness, that the
safe landing of the crew was due. Melville |
and Dannenhower were the only surviving |
officers of the expedition. When Dannen- |
hover returned to the United States in !
1882 he was placed ON waiting orders dur |
ing the process of the official inquiry into |
the loss of the jeanette, and was after |
wards granted years leave of absence. |
During this time he delivered q number of
lectures in different parts OF the country. !
In September. 1886, he was assigned to
duty at Annapolis as Assistant Comman-
der Of cadets, which sta tion he held at the |
time OF his death.
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-W. w. Dannen-
hover, farther of the lieutenant said in a
conversat tion tonight, that his son was
treated for meIancholia some years ago. |
aud speedily recovered. Since then there
has never been to his knowledge any ap-
pearance or apprehension OF any mental
rDsoundness in him until to-day. The |
remains OF Daunenh. .wer will be taken to |
Washington tomorrow for burial.